George Osborne, the fat Brazilian and why the Chancellor's economic success 'never stops to amaze'

In case you missed it, in my morning email (sign up here) I mentioned George Osborne's Brazilian. Nizan Guanaes was introduced to the Chancellor at a dinner in Davos a few days ago and was smitten. The result is an editorial that appeared two days ago in the newspaper Folha de S Paulo. Gushing doesn't begin to describe it. The fat journalist (his word) was bowled over "a young skinny guy with English rosy cheeks" who was more interesting than Sir Richard Branson and turned out to be Mr Osborne. Under the headline "Siga George Osborne" ("Follow George Osborne") he praises him for doing economically painful but necessary things, and succeeding. It's obviously very funny, but it's also of a piece with a recent trend. Britain is being noticed abroad for doing well. As I said earlier, those governments that appear to have combined austerity with growth but without social dislocation are being feted – and Mr Osborne is deriving a noticeable amount of personal benefit.

If you haven't read it, Charles Moore in the Spectator also notes Mr Osborne's recovery, and takes a dig at No10 in the process. He says: "Osborne is good at being powerful without pushing himself forward excessively. He is also cool-headed enough to realise his own limitations, and therefore does not annoy colleagues by trying to be a media star. Like most politicians that the public do not warm to and unlike most that they do, he is quite nice – humorous, good at absorbing what others say, pleasant to work with. His Treasury team of advisers is unusual in this government in combining policy understanding with media skills – much superior to their Downing Street equivalents, who seem directionless and content free."

Anyway, in case your Portuguese is a bit rough, here's a translation of the full piece:

If you're sitting on a dining table next to Sir Richard Branson and in front of the extraordinarily interesting and charismatic Finance Minister of Nigeria, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, it is difficult to pay attention to anyone else. But behold, my ears went to a young skinny guy with English rosy cheeks, his own verve, and a playmaker who debates with strong opinions, although not as popular as Churchill and Thatcher. The name of the illustrious man, unknown to me, was the Honourable George Osborne, "Chancellor of the Exchequer", or the finance minister of the United Kingdom.

My friend Tina Brown sat me in front of him and whispered: you will meet a very interesting person. And a person who stands on a platform with Sir Branson and Dr Okonjo-Iweala has to be interesting. George Osborne has been an interesting character since childhood. Born into the Anglo-Irish aristocracy, he started life with the name Gideon, but at age 13, in a small act of defiance, he went to his mother and said, "I do not like the name Gideon and want to change ." And she responded: "I don’t like Gideon either." Gideon then changed his name to George, in honour of his grandfather, a war hero. So even with this first small and reform, he never stopped to amaze.

He is the Minister of Finance, but hasn’t studied economics. He studied history. And he was appointed commander of the British economy at the age of 38. His first steps were to create a department of fiscal responsibility, cut costs, and reduce the size of government. And it was by doing these unpopular things that – in such a short time – he has put his country on the track it is today. Tina Brown told me in the beginning that she did not think what he was doing would work. And that's where the story interests me. The world needs leaders who know how to communicate, to do what is difficult and unpopular, but necessary.

I've been fat my whole life. A fat guy consuming 3,000 calories is a happy guy. A fat on a diet of 1,000 calories is the most miserable of men, in a foul mood, when in reality all their vital indicators are improving. The challenge that world leaders have today is how to stay in power despite unpopular measures. I now understand many things that my mother taught me, and shoved down my throat long after. The life of George Osborne was helped by the support of Prime Minister David Cameron, and also the ability to communicate and discuss the difficult things a politician must address. He was elected Member of Parliament for Tatton in June 2001, becoming the youngest Conservative in the House of Commons, and after that, Cameron led the campaign for leadership of the Conservative Party .

Communication skills , judgment and selection are the challenges of CEOs, presidents and prime ministers. How to take certain actions that are misunderstood in the short term by the financial market by Parliament or by a group of voters. The great leaders – by charisma or God knows why – they have this power. Like great mothers who take unpopular decisions in the short term, but will be understood by those who benefit . This is the challenge of democracy worldwide. Mothers do not need to deal with democracy. Tyrants are the most wonderful mothers in the world. The ability to make tough changes to open parliament, a free press and active social networking is what transforms this guy with rosy cheeks and the gift to discuss and explain their ideas, that are more interesting that Sir Branson’s.

So, with all of the things I saw and heard in Davos , the Chancellor of the Exchequer is the person I most recommend for my readers to follow, whether or not you agree with what I’ve said. A 13 year old boy who changed his own name is certainly a transformer, and the world needs them desperately.